Chapter 7: second stage
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N/A: Just what to say this is probably the longest Chapter I have ever written for the story.
Year c.849
Paradise Island, Remnant of Eldia
North of Trost district, wall rose.
Leon Oldenburg POV
Some time after the Winter training
"Man... this fucking sucks!" Connie ground out as he rode on his horse, beside Leon.
"Well Connie it could be much worse then it is now" Leon said as he wiped the sweat off his forehead.
"Yeah, like what" Connie said as he looked at the taller cadet.
"We could be on foot..." Leon said with Connie winsting at what Leon said, knowing it would be much better on horses then walking.
"You got a point there Leon, wouldn't want to walk in this hell" Connie said as he also swiped the sweat off his forehead, with Leon only nodding at the small cadet, as both rode ahead of their group through the forest.
It has been some time now seen the winter training exercise had ended, and now they were doing another survival exercise, the only differences being it was happening in the south of wall rose and in a forest. Plus it was the middle of the summer, meaning it would be hot as hell, so it was no wounder that he was sweating like in hell, and his cloths were stinking on to his body, Connie was right on one thing this did kinda suck.
From what he and the other cadets were told by the instructors, was that the reason for this exercise in the first place, was to see how well would the cadets act during a time without any crisis. In other words this exercise would be completely boring and easy, even Shadis himself said it, when explaining the exercise to them. the cadets were also broken up into two groups traveling on two different roads that would at one point of their journey, lead to one destination that would allow the two teams to me up. After the meat up, they would have to exchange reports on how well the cadets did in their groups, one cadet would be writing down what would happen on their journey, every group had one. The good news was that they had enough rations and water for the whole journey plus, there were plenty of rivers and lakes in the forest that they could use if need be.
As Leon looked behind himself, to see his team riding right behind him in formation, the group had nine people in it, Eren, Marco as there leader, himself, Armin who was the chronicler, Jean, Mina, Connie, Sasha, and Krista. As the other team is made of, Thomas, Mikasa, Annie, Reiner, Bertholdt, Samul, Franz as their team's chronicler, and Hannah. he wouldn't say he didn't like his team, but it did have two big problems that Leon was concerned about.
The first problem being that their leader was Marco Bodt. Not that Marco was a bad guy, in fact he and Marco were good friends, and it was easy to be around the guy, and to add up most of the cadets of the 104th were on good turns with Macro. But dose things don't make a good leader, one of Marco's problems is that he's way to light on his group, allowing the second problem to get out of heads, Marco could always prove him wrong on this exercise, but at the moment he didn't think that would be happening any time soon. the other big problem in their group, which in Leon's opinion was the more irritating one out of the two problems, was that both Eren and Jean were on the same team, both boys are good people and cadets, but when they are together. It's a disaster just waiting to happen, and with how hot it was, the chances of things between the two going south was higher then usually.
"Oi Connie, Leon, slow it down! its better to not to gallop all the way in this kinda weather!" Marco said to the two cadets in front of him.
"Yeah you got a point there Marco" Leon said as he and Connie started to slow down.
"I personal think that taking it slow is a good idea, with this kind of heat our horse would give out if we pushed them to hard, and if that happens then will have to go by foot..." Jean said looking at the group, before continuing.
"That's why it makes more sense to just take it easy and relax... we do have the time for it" Jean said as he yawned, of course one cadet in the group didn't like what Jean said, that being Eren who seemed to get angry at what Jean said.
"Of course, you out of everyone, would say something like that horse face!" Eren sneered at Jean, with Leon only shaking his head at what would surely start another fight between the two.
"If you're gonna fall behind, be my guest, I'm going ahead!" Eren said as he started to rid ahead, only to be stopped by Marco before Eren can get too far from the group of cadets.
"Eren we need to stay as a group, by Shadis orders" Marco said before looking at Jean and asking.
"Jean what should we do" Marco asked Jean, but from the looks of it Jean didn't feal like helping.
"The hell should I care Marco? this exercise doesn't even go for our final marks... so I don't really care" Jean said relaxing on his horse.
"Jean you don't know that!" Marco said as he looked at Jean but it seem to do little to the cadet, so Marco only sigh before saying.
"Let's just focus on the exercise..." Marco said as he swipe the sweat off his forehead.
"Not gonna happen any time soon" Jean just said back to Marco before yawning again.
"Oi horse face, get a move on already, its fucking hot out here" Eren said looking at Jean.
"Do you ever shut up, Yeager!" Jean shot back at Eren, with the group just groaning again at the two, knowing that the two would start bickering.
"By the walls... dose two are at it... again" Connie groaned out as the two boys started to argue again.
"We still have a pretty long way before we reach our final destination… and if doses two continue on like they are right now… I don't think I'll make it" Sasha also groaned out, looking at Connie who nodded.
"Count me in" Leon added with both Connie and Sasha nodding in agreement, as they did, the heat started to increase becoming evening hotter then it already was. To the credit of Jean and Eren they stopped fighting after their small argument… for 30 seconds before finding another reason to argue. After some time would pass Jean would see a big lizard walking not that far from the group, as Jean looked back at his group and spoke up.
"Hi, guys look a lizard... it seems its heading our way" Jean said pointing at were the lizard was, with the group following were Jean was pointing at.
"It's rare to see them around these parts of lands..." said Marco looking at the lizard. Then Sasha would blurt out something that would confusing.
"They're very tasty, you know" she said, before realizing that the group were looking at her wearily, before she elaborated.
"No I mean it, me and my family used to catch them back when I was a younger, in my home village" Sasha said looking at the group.
"I never had Lizard before" Leon said, as his mouth started to water a little, it had been years now seen he last had eaten meat.
"Can you cook?" Jean asked as he looked at Sasha, who in response just looked to be offended at what Jean asked her, before saying.
"'Can you cook' he asks, of course I can cook, what kind question is that?" Sasha said with Jean looking back at the lizard and saying.
"Well if that's the case then… I'm going after it!" Jean said as he kicked his horse to move faster to catch up to the lizard.
"Wait Jean we need to stay in formation!" Yelled Marco, but from the looks of it Jean didn't hear it.
"I'll go after him" said Eren as he went after Jean. Leon new at that moment that something was going to end badly, being that the two of them will find any reason to fight. As he came right beside Marco Leon spoke up.
"I'll also going after them, just so they don't kill each other over some stupid lizard" He said to Marco, who just nodded in agreement.
As the lizard realized that it was being chased, it increased its speed to try and out run Jean but it was no match to a horse. As Jean was upon the lizard he raised his sword for the killing blow, but was stopped by a different sword, allowing the lizard to run off, and with that losing their dinner in the prose.
"What the fuck Yeager, that was our dinner" Jean yelled at Eren who in return also started to yell.
"Take this seriously horse face it's a survival training exercise not some fucking camping trip for children!" Eren sneered back.
"Exercises without any instructors, won't get you any browning points suicide bastard" Jean shouted back at Eren as he looked at him, as this was happing Leon finally got to them before the two starter a fight.
"By the walls… why can't both of you just stop for ones and not bickering over some stupid reason!" Leon said as he came up to them =.
"Well, sorry Leon it's not me who's going off track for some fucking lizard!" Eren said back to Leon.
"It's called taking initiative, dumb-ass, you'll known that if you had a fucking brain in your head!" Jean shot back, Leon just face palm in frustration at the two, he could understand how these two were even in the training corps, as they acted as 8 year-old children.
"What did you just say horse face!" Eren said as both were ready to fight, but the group finally reached them, and this whole shit fast ended with Marco stepping in.
"Both of you enough of this, from the beginning of this exercise I only hared arguing form the both of you!" Marco said, looking kind of angry at the two boys.
"You're the one to talk" Jean said now looking at Marco but Marco didn't stand down and kept his ground.
"Get a whole of yourselves you two, if we delay this mission any more I'm going to reporting this to Shadis directly... got that" Marco said to the two before turning to Armin.
"Armin don't write down anything that happened here… for now" Marco said.
"O-okay" Armin answered back.
"Just put down on the report that will hunting for food for the team, Jean Kirstein was obstructed by Eren Yeager!" Jean said annoyed.
"What did you just say horse face?!" Eren exclaimed getting ready for another fight.
"WAIT YOU LET IT GET AWAY!" all of the members of the group looked at the person who yelled, that being Sasha, who from the looks of it really wanted that lizard, and was now staring a death glare at Eren, just like Jean was doing at the same time.
"Let's just go, were just wasting time here" Marco said as he sighed, as their group started to move, Leon came up to Eren before speaking up.
"Look, Eren I know you and Jean aren't the best of friends..." he said before being interrupted by Eren.
"Friends?" Eren said looking confusedly at Leon who just ignored Eren and continued.
"...but you are not helping at the moment" Leon said looking at Eren.
"I just don't get it Leon, how in the world a guy like you are friends with a person like horse face?!" Eren wondered confusedly out load, with Leon only chuckling, before speaking up again.
"He may sound as an ass and self-centered half of the times... but he can be a nice guy when he wants to be" Leon said, getting on his horse and riding to his group.
"Sure... whatever you say Leon" Eren answered back at Leon.
Sometime later that day
As the day became night, the group started to look for a place to make camp, the cadets could finally have dinner. But with them not catching the lizard met that they would have to go without meat… again, forcing them for this night to eat the rations given to them at the camp. When Leon first took a bit out of the 'food', he almost spitted out immediately, somehow these rations were worse then what they were given back at the camp. How in the world that was even possible Leon didn't know, but one thing he was sure of that not only he thought that as all of the group, who started eating weren't happy with the food, even Sasha, and that wasn't something Leon had seen and would ever thought of seeing in his life that Sasha blows didn't like to eat the food given to her.
"Ugh, these fucking rations are just… disgusting!" Connie said with visible disgusted, looking at the rations.
"Yeah, it's like the chefs back at camp tried their best to make it as shit as possible... fucking pricks" Leon said annoyed as he looked at the what was supposed to be 'food'.
"If only we gotten that dame lizard… we could have gotten real... fresh... food!" said Sasha dramatically looking into the fire.
"Well maybe if we see him on the way back we can get him, oi Jean how did the lizard look like again" Leon said now looking at the cadet.
"Who even cares, lizards are just stupid after all" Jean snorted under his breath.
"Well that's really funny Jean, Tell me... who was the one chasing after it not that long ago?" Eren snorted as he eat his rations, with Jean just stopping and looking at the brown haired boy.
"Well at least it makes more sense chasing lizards then titans, Yeager!" Jean answered back with a sneer. With the green eyed boy getting angry at what Jean said, beginning another shit fest, Funny part was that most of the group had one thought at the same time, 'not this again'.
"And what's that supposed to mean horse face? Why else join the training corps if not to do that smart ass!" Eren sneered at the taller cadet as he got up, who in response also sneered at Eren, and by then another fight begin.
"I'll tell you one thing Yeager, it wasn't for me to throw my life away for some stupid, delusional dream of winning against the titans" Jean retorted as he stood up two.
"Both of you enough, I don't need you two to give me another fucking headache from your bitching again!" Leon said annoyed, not wanting another fight to break out as he stood up and started to move to them.
"stay out of this Leon!" Jean said almost shouting now as he looked at Leon but Leon just kept moving.
"We can't win if…" Eren tried to say but was interrupted by Jean.
"Defeat the Titans; yeah I know that Yeager, you fucking scream it in my fucking ear ever signal fucking day, and you know what... I don't even care anymore! If you what to throw your life way to be eaten by the titans like your mother, then be my fucking guest!" Jean said with Leon already knowing what was going to happen now. With a shriek, that no human was supposed to make, Eren jumped on to Jean attacking him at the same time, Leon was the first one to intervene to stop this fight, as Leon tried to get Eren off Jean, it was harder then Leon had thought it would be, as it seemed that Eren had a strength boast from the rage and but with his powers he pulled the two boys part
"You son of a bitch!" Eren yelled at Jean, Connie and Marco came to help Leon keep Eren away from Jean, this made Eren only start yelling at them.
"Eren fucking clam down already!" Leon said annoyingly and loudly almost as loud as yelling but it seemed to do little if nothing to Eren.
"SHUT UP, JUST LET ME GO ALL READY, I'M GOING TO FUCKING KILL THIS MOTHERFUCKER!" Eren yelled into Leon's and Connie's faces.
"Not on my watch you won't!" Marco said with a sternly looking at the two.
"You two are going to be sleeping as far as possible from each other. And if I hear a one more word between you two I'm I will make sure Shadies hears about it" Marco said to the two cadets who after hearing what Marco said started to calm down.
"Fine by me" Jean said as he looked for medical supplies.
"Sure, whatever" Eren said as he finally calmed down, and stopped thrashing like a wild anime at Leon, as he grabbed his sleeping bag and when's to the other side of their camp. As that happened Leon came up to Marco.
"Good job back there, it seems the two have calmed down from your threat" Leon said with Marco just sighing in response.
"Thanks Leon, I just hope they take what I said seriously..." Marco said as he sighted.
"That one was a close one… it looked like Eren actually tried to kill Jean this time" Mina commented, unsettled by what the group saw.
"Hopefully they won't try that again while were all a sleep," Connie added in looking at the group.
"Let's not give them any ideas shall we now" Leon said, knowing the two boys could probably hear them and there subject. As he started to turn he saw that Krista looking worried, wanting to know why she looked freak-out Leon came up to her to ask.
"Oi, Krista, Is there something wrong," He asked, with the girl jumping a bit before calming down and turning around to Leon.
"ye I-I'm fine Leon... thanks for asking" Krista said, but Leon still had a weird felling, that something was wrong, so he continued.
"Are you sure, you seem... a bit on edge as of late?" Leon pushed it more.
"W-well I-I..." Krista said before thinking over something, trying to realized what to say to Leon, before speaking up again.
"I think a saw someone watching us!" she said looking at him nervously, this made Leon go on standby not liking what Krista said, as he looked at her seriously before speaking up.
"Don't point where you see them" Leon said in a whisper to Krista who froze at what Leon said to her.
"Now show me, where you last see them?" He continued with Krista only gestured left of her in the treeline, with Leon nodding before speaking up again.
"Go tell Marco and the others but keep it quiet and natural, we don't need them finding out that we saw them, do we now" he instructed the girl, with Krista nodded and leaving to get Marco. As she did that Leon started to move to where Krista told him she saw somebody, without a light souse, it made it almost impossible to see anything, so he used his ears to find any weird sounds and started to listen. As time passed and Leon didn't find anything after scanning the forest, it seemed nobody was there after all. So he slowly started to walk back to their camp where he saw everyone on alert, no wonder, beginning that there could be unwanted people lurking in the woods.
"Did you find something Leon, anything?" Marco asked as Leon came up to the group he only shacking his head in response.
"Sorry but no... it seems that nothings there" He said looking at both Marco and Krista, with several of the cadets giving out sights of relief.
"Well then maybe it's just my mind playing tricks on me then" Krista said reassured still a bit nervously, that there was nothing out there in the forest.
"Say… by any chance did you see a liza…" Sasha was about to asked about the lizard again, but almost everyone said the same thing.
"Enough, with the dame lizard!" the group responsive, dejected, the meat-obsessed girl sank into her sleeping bag looking depressed. As Leon set up his own bed, he just couldn't get a feeling off that he had missed something. Still, he in the end decided it was just paranoia or something like that, how wrong he was.
Later that night
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" was the first thing Leon heard as he woke up from his sleep, a scream, it would be seconds before he realized who's scream that was. It was Krista's, as he bolted up from his sleeping bag to see what was going on. His face met a barrel of a gun pointing right at his face, the man with the gun was wearying brown and a dark green clothes with had a sack over his head probably to hid his face.
"Don't move or I'll shot" was all the man said, with Leon only groaning in response as he didn't what to have his blown off. Inwardly he was screaming at himself for allowing this to happen, if had just looked harder, he and his group wouldn't be held by gun point right at this moment. As Leon looked around he saw four men all with sacks on their heads and holding at gun point his group one held Krista with them, probably the bandit's leader, who was wearing brown shirt and pants. The way they were standing and the way they held their weapons, told him that these guys were professionals, and any wrong move from his group could get them killed so he stayed in place not wanting to put his group mates in danger.
"Get their ODM's!" the leader said who was holding Krista to one of the bandits, He had thought of using his powers against the four but in the position he was in right now was not the best time, any wrong move can get his group members killed, something Leon couldn't live with.
"What the world do you need them for?!" Eren said looking at the bandits, at that Leon almost face palm again at the question, not only that it was a stupid question, but again if anyone said something stupid it can get people killed something he didn't want to happen.
"Let's just say kid, that today you made us rich man" the leader said with a small chuckle, looking at the Eren. Not liking that, Eren attacked the closes bandit to him, by grabbing the gun and shoving it upwards to not get shot before yelling at them to attack the others. This time Leon did face palm at what Eren did, the entire group was covered by the bandits and he was sitting down in his sleeping bag, even if he got out and took on the bandits then his groups partners can get hurt and he wasn't going to gable on that.
"Eren don't!" Armin shouted with the man behind him pushed the barrel of the gun deeper into Armin's back making Armin gulp. Next Jean tried to make a run for it, seeing this one man shot a warning shot and the bullet grazed his cheek, leaving a scratch on it. This made Jean stop and start shacking out of pure fear, the sound distracted Eren enough that allowed the man to take advantage and overpower Eren, kicking him down to the ground.
"Next time you're going to get a bullet into your head got that brat!" the bandit said looking at Eren before looking up at the other group members.
"And this goes for everyone" He continued.
"What are you going to do with her" Leon asked pointing at Krista, with the man holding her just chuckling before answering Leon.
"We'll be taking her off your hands; she for sure will have a lot of buyers… in the underground" Said the man with a grin, telling Leon everything he need to know who these man where. He was always disgusted at human trafficking, even more after Mikasa told her story, and seeing them do this in front of his face, made him rage inwardly, but what could he do?
"I really don't recommend you do that!" Leon said without thinking, he knew what he said would end badly for him but he just couldn't hold himself, and he was right, the bandits looked at him and starting to laugh out lowed before the bandit pointing the gut at him started to speak.
"Yeah and the fuck are you going to do about it huh?" the man said, as he used the stock of the gun to hit Leon on the cheek. Form the force Leon was force back on to one knee and this made Leon go quiet, seeing this and with Leon not speaking up, the leader spoke up again.
"Well if nobody else has more to say will be heading out now, we'll let you live today brats, but if you follow us we will shot to kill do I make myself clear" the man holding Krista. Nobody answered and in seconds the man were gone, with their gear horses and Krista, it was a disaster to say the least. Most of the cadets were stunned at what just happened, and scared as they were never in such situation before, the only two that weren't were Leon and Eren, the latter was more enraged them stunned.
"You fucking cowards, if we all attacked at ones we would have…" Eren never got to finish as Leon punched the boy, making him fall on the ground, Leon would speak up after he did his deed.
"Thanks to you're little stunt, you almost got all of as killed, think before you pull something like that Yeager, you got that!" Leon said looking at Eren, who in response just groaned, as Leon turned around to look at the other cadets before looking at Marco and asking him a question.
"So how are we getting Krista and our gear back?" Leon asked looking now at Marco.
"I-I really don't think we even can… are best course of action at the moment is to go back to the camp and report this…" But Leon didn't allow Marco to finish.
"If we do that it would be to late, and they'll be long gone with Krista… we need to get them and fast, I'm going after them" Leon said looking at the way the bandits went.
"I'm coming with you, I'm not letting them get away with Krista" Said Eren getting up from the ground, Leon expected this from Eren as he wasn't a guy to give up with out a fight.
"'I'm in too, the bastards owe me for this dame scratch they made" Jean said as his fingers lightly brushed his wound. Soon most of the group had agreed on getting Krista back from the bandits and were making a plan on who to get Krista back.
"How do we even catch up with them, they took our horses?" asked Connie.
"I don't think we even can if we split up" Mina pointed out as the group nodded to that.
"So what do we do..." Leon said as he looked in to the distends, before Sasha spoke up.
"Ow, I think I have an idea" Sasha said as most of the group started to look at her waiting for her to explain her idea.
"Well what is it?!" Leon said as he and the group looked at Sasha.
"Well um... from what I remember, when I was little my father use to tell me 'if you got lost you should find a high point', Like on top of a mountain or a tall tree in a forest" Sasha said with a grin.
"That's... actually a good idea" Leon said surprised looking at the meat obsess girl as he also thinking thought on why didn't he figure that out.
With what Sasha said in mined, the group of cadets gathered what was left of there supplies into a stashed them into there bags. They would need to carry them for the rest of the journey now as they have lost their horses to the bandits, probably also to be sold off. The map indicated that close to them was a rocky pathway that could lead them to a hill in the forest, that beginning the highest point in the forest, without wasting any time; they started to move, non stop, all the way to the top of a hill. even though they got tried from them running the whole way and up a hill, in there minds they new that if they stopped they could never see Krista again.
Sadly ones on the top of the hill, it seemed to give little to no sighting of the bandits or there whereabouts, so with that, Sasha volunteered to get up the highest tree on the hill. it wouldn't take long for her to find smoke that was coming out of a clearing in the forest, it had seemed that the bandits had made a some sort of rendezvous point made. With no time to waste, the group of cadets used a slop of the hill to get down, after getting no to normal land they started to run to were they last saw the smoke come from. When they finally got close enough to see the rendezvous point, they quickly head under some trees and rocks so to not get caught by the bandits, and started to spy at the bandits packing their loot into to wagons. Leon took out a spy glass to look at the bandits rendezvous point, to see what the full strength of their enemy was, and where they put their gear and Krista.
"I can see... eight people down there... all armed... and two wagons in total, it seems that they put our gear into the wagon, that's is in the back but for Krista... I don't know... meaning she could be on any of the wagons" Leon said passing the spy glass to Eren who started to look thought the bandit camp.
"So what do we do now?" Eren asked as he gave the spy glass back to Leon.
"We could just attack them right now… use the element of surprise on them?" Jean suggested to the group.
"If we do something like that… we'll probably get blown to pieces before we can even reach them" Marco pointed out as he shake his head at the same time.
"Wait... I think I have a plan on how we can get Krista back with our gear" Said Armin looking throw the map, as he said that most of the cadets huddled around Armin now looking at the map and waiting for him to explain his plan he had.
"Look here" Armin pointed at the map with the group of cadets looking at were Armin had pointed.
"The road breaks into two directions, out of this forest, the bandits need to sell it so they need to use one or the other word to get their wagons out of here" Armin said.
"If we can ambush them at the end of one of these roads out, we can get back our gear and Krista" Armin ended his plan on how to gain back there stuff and Krista, but sadly this plan wasn't fail proof, as there was lots of things can go wrong. But it seemed Connie seen of huge problem that can end disasters for them, if not dealt with at the moment.
"Without horses in your dreams, it just won't be possible for us to catch up to them, not talking about getting in front of them!?" Connie said looking at the map then at Armin.
"That's not a problem, we can cut throw the forest in a straight line, where's the bandits would need to use the road, that moves in waves, plus they'll have to go slower to not crash... with all of the bumps and hols in both roads" Leon answered back, but he looked at the map seeing that one of the words was wider than the other one that was much more narrower, if the bandits took the first one then there would be no chance of them ambushing them.
"There's one problem, if the bandits take the wider road there would be no chance for us to ambushing them, as they'll see as coming" he pointed out, with the group going into thought on how to fix this problem before Mina spoke up.
"Does anyone have long rope that I can use?" she asked looking thought the group, Eren would go throw his sack to find a long rope before handing it over.
"Here, why do you need it anyway?" he said looking at her; Mina smirked at the group before explaining her plan.
"Well, if we tie this rope around a tree and pull it down to the first road, we can keep the bandits from going throw that direction. But this will require at least three people to do this, a lookout for the bandits, and two people who are going to pull down the tree, I can do the former but I'll need help with the latter" Mina finished, with Connie grinning at Sasha and speaking up.
"Oi, Sasha, so what about it are we going to help Mina out on this one" Connie said looking at Sasha.
"Count me in" Sasha said looking back at them, but there was still one problem about their plan.
"Let's says the plan works, how we are going to get on the wagons, with a surprise attack?" Jean asked looking at the group.
"We can use the trees to attack the bandits from above" Eren said as he pointed at the trees.
"That's pretty risky Eren... but possible, we'll need to know when to jump so not to break our lags" Leon said, in truth if he jumps from such a height the chances of him breaking something wouldn't be big at all, thanks to his family's powers. But for the other cadets... that was a whole different story.
"I and Armin can signal you, I think we still have the cans for dinner still with us, so we can put them up and use them as signal for you guys" Marco said looking at Leon with him only nodding in response.
"Wait, if we are going to attack the two wagons at the same time somebody is going to have to fight alone" Jean said with all the cadets again going into thinking on how to fix this problem.
"That's not a problem, I can probably take on them on" Leon said, Leon could take on the four bandits in one wagon with his families powers so it wasn't a problem that they couldn't fix.
"But I'll only do it if you two put your difference's aside for ones, we all need to work together on this mission, if we what this plan to work out and get back Krista" He said looking at Jean and Eren who in return looked at each other for some time before nodding. Krista's life was far more imported then some personal feelings and pride.
"Well it seems that everything's ready now, but before we go, I need all of you to understand that failure is not an option for this mission, Krista life is in danger at these moment and were the only ones that can save her, now... let's get Krista back!" was all that Marco said before they began their rescues mission.
Sometime later
As Leon, Eren and Jean set in the tree waiting for their single to beginning the ambush to get back their gear and Krista. Leon was still thinking over their plan, still a lot of things could go wrong but it was the best they have at the moment, and they just didn't have the time to overthink the plan. When they got to the narrow road the three cadets could sigh in relief, as there weren't any wheel tracks on it, telling them that the bandits still haven't gone through here yet, Giving Armin and Marco time to get ready, and for the three of them to have some breathe space. They were forced to run for somewhere between 30 minutes not stop, to get here, and now they were setting and waiting for the bandits to come through the road. The only thing the three boys needed to worry about now was Mina, Connie and Sasha coming through with their part of the plan.
Leon was relieved when the silence was broken when the sounds of horse and wagons in the distends coming there way, the trio pulled it off. Now it was their turn in the plan, and it was the hardest part of them all, ambushing bandits who were all armed and trained to use firearms, and on moving objects, wasn't some easy job to do, but somebody needed to. Leon turned around to look at the two other boys, as he looked at them, he was happy that the two didn't break into a fight for the past 30 minutes, it seemed saving their group member was more imported then personal feelings and pride.
"Are you two ready, it we'll be our time soon" He said with both Jean and Eren nodding in agreement waiting to attack. Their Job was easier technically, being that he had to go against four people at ones with no back up, pulse all the bandits being armed made it even harder, but he was an Oldenburg so he suspected he can deal with four bandits with no problem at all. As the bandit's convoy started to come into their view and come closer to them they waited for the signal, wanting to attack the bastards that took there gear and Krista.
'Come on Marco and Armin, don't fail on us now, were this close!' Leon thought looking at the position the two boys were in, hoping that there signal will come in time and then he heard the cans.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
'Just in time you both' Leon thought before turning back at the two other cadets, nodding his head and beginning there ambush. Eren and Jean jump on to the second one were the gear was in, and he jump into the first one were Krista was supposed be in. As Leon rip through the fabric roof of the wagon and landed in the middle of it, to say the bandits and Krista where shocked would be an understatement, as he looked around he saw that there was four man in total and Krista tide up with two bandits being in the front.
'at least Krista's here... now I just need to take out the bandits' Leon thought as he got ready for a fight. As the bandits finally got out of their shock, they tried to shoot him, but Leon was already on it. As he first attacked the one wearing a green shirt and green pants, hitting the bandit in the Adam's apple making the bandit start gasping for air, then Leon sweep the bandits feet under him, making the bandit fall on to the ground. right after that Leon quickly moved on to the other bandit who was wearing white shirt and gray pants, as Leon used kick powered by his families powers in the bandits rib-cage, breaking some ribs in the process, making the bandit fly back and fall on his back. Seeing that all of the bandits in the back of the wagon, were on the ground he quickly moved in to untie Krista, it seemed that these guys weren't that good at hand to hand combat it seemed, but then again he was using his family's powers.
"Oi Krista, you okay" Leon asked after he started to untying her, with Krista only nodding in response before speaking up.
"Yes I'm fine… LEON WATCH OUT!" Krista yelled, and at that moment Leon turned around to see another bandit, the same one that was holding Krista hostage, back at their camp who was probably the leader of the group. And he was now holding a blunderbuss right to Leon's head looking pissed at Leon, Leon himself could only inwardly cuss at himself for not taking out the other two bandits in front of the wagon, and the man with the green cloths was also starting to get up.
"I should have blown your head back then… but I can always do it now little shit!" said the bandit before pulling the trigger, if that had hit Leon it would have blown off his head even if he moved. And even if it missed him it would have gotten Krista, at the moment Leon believed he was going to die, as he really didn't know how to get out of this situation.
'So this is how I'm going to die huh… wouldn't expect having my head blown off…' Leon thought.
'Seems I'm never going to finish… no wait I can't die here of all place' Leon thought. As he also started to get angry at everything that happened today and was about to happen, but then he felt something a buzzing noise, something he handed felt for a long time, the first time he ever felt this feeling was when he unlocked his powers at the age of ten. It was like a huge rush of power and energy went through his body, increasing his straight and speed, as it did so he grabbed Krista and moved out of the way of the buckshot. As he got to the end of the wagon with Krista, and the buckshot got to where he was standing same time ago, both bandits looked at what they saw, this included both Krista and Leon in complete shock.
'Wait w-what was that, did I just… open second stage!' Leon thought completely shocked, looking at where he was before moving out of the way from the buckshot. Leon then remembered that his family's powers open up with stages, the first stage opened up at ten, then fourteen with a new power up you ca say that increase the speed to a rate were a person would only see a bluer this beginning called burst, and the last stage increase the speed even more and a bit strength. Where's Ackerman's increase more on their strength over time, the Oldenburg's have an increase in speed to a degree were a Oldenburg can move faster then lighting, but he didn't now if that was actually true or not.
"What the fuck w…!" the bandit leader was about to say something, but never got the chance to as Leon did a uppercut making the man bit his own tong and stumble back, then going for the other one that finally got up and shot at him. But using the burst he quickly avoiding the shot, he then did a roundhouse kick powered with Oldenburg powers, making the bandit who shot him fall on to the driver of the wagon. As the bandits were in confusion or in a lot of pain Leon moved to Krista to ask her on how she was doing again, but he never got to ask her, as the wagon started to shack violently, and go out of control probably to the blunderbuss buckshot that went throw the wood and hit the wheel of the wagon and with him kicking a man who fall on the driver, it was for such the wagon was about to crash. Gabbing Krista quickly bridal style, and then jumping out the wagons back before it crashed into a tree, Leon fell on his back before crashing into a tree himself, the only good news was that Krista didn't get hurt from the fall.
"Oi you okay?!" Leon asked looking at her, as they both got up not that far from the wagon that just crashed into a tree, Krista herself looked a bit stunned at what just happened probably that it was two to minutes all of that happened in.
"Ye… I'm fine Leon… just some small scratches and all" she said looking at him, with him nodding.
"You know… if Ymir ever saw me holding you like this… she'll probably try and choke me to death" Leon said half assumed, with Krista only chuckling response to what Leon said and going quiet right afterwards. Not wanting to get back to their group Leon started to walk to the pathway before realizing that Krista didn't follow him turning around and looking at her Leon asked her what was the problem.
"Is there something wrong Krista?" Leon said looking at her; she didn't say anything for some time before speaking up.
"Leon… back when you were about to get shot… it was like you moved so fast that I-I couldn't even see you, just a bluer... w-what was that Leon!?" Krista asked a bit nervously, with Leon just stared at her with a blank face. But inwardly he was again screaming at himself for not thinking before using it because both the bandits and Krista saw it, it just wasn't his day, the normal MP's wouldn't believe what the bandits would say about what happened. Probably the Internals would, but they don't deal with bandits or small things like this, but then there was Krista.
"Listen Krista, I'll explain everything… but I need you to keep this secret okay" Leon said looking at Krista who was confused but everything but nodded at him. But as they started to move a long sound of something being throwerd was heard by the two, as they turned their heads to see where the loud sound came from. And what do you know, the man that held the blunderbuss to his head was standing as well he was blooded and looked enrage as an wild animal holding a pistol in one of his heads as the other one looked... well lets just say it saw better days.
"Bastard, fucking little shit!" the bandit screamed in full rage at Leon who in response was ready to take out the bandit, being he had unlocked stage two of his family's powers it wouldn't be any problem to doge the bullet from his pistol.
"Krista stay back I'll deal with this" Leon said looking at the bandit before speaking up to the bandit.
"I recommend you put that thing down… you already lost there's no point of continuing this fight anymore" Leon said looking at the bandit who in response just scowled before saying.
"Shut up, thanks to you brats the whole plan when to hell!" the bandit shouted at Leon.
"Well, from what I remember I told you I'll make you regrade what you did, didn't I!" Leon said looking at the bandit.
"I was just doing this for my daughter!" the man said with Krista just freezing at what the bandit said but Leon didn't.
"Well what was I sopped to do let you take our group-mate and sell her on the black market, ye I don't think so pal!" Leon said looking at the bandit.
"And I can be one hundred present sure your daughter wouldn't be proud of her father who works in the human trafficking business, would she now!" Leon said looking at the bandit.
"Shut up that doesn't matter now, nothing dose, the only thing that dose is me blowing your brains out Bart!" the bandit yelled.
"Well it seems I'm going to have to use force then do I…!" Leon said looking at the man as he started to move. But then he stopped, he didn't know why but he just couldn't move anymore. Then he felt pain all over his body before collapsing onto his knees and starting to gasping for air. Pretty much everyone there was confused at what just happened, as not long ago Leon was standing and fighting and now it seemed that he would pass out any second now, but the most confused would be Leon himself.
'What the fuck!? Why can't stand or use the powers, w-what's happening to me, I…' but at that moment Leon remember something, what his granduncle said about their powers.
Flash back or memory or something like that
"Oi, Leon listing up" his granduncle said, looking at the eleventh year-old.
"Well as I told you the Oldenburg have a abilities that allows us to be move faster and stronger then normal people" His granduncle said.
"Yes granduncle you already told me this" Leon said looking annoyed.
"Well I haven't told you about the three stages did I brat" his granduncle said, picking Leon's curious of their lesson.
"No, you haven't?" Leon said curiously.
"Then listen up Leon, Oldenburg abilities are unlocked by age, and through stages, the first stage of our power is open up when were ten years old, you already know this" Leon's granduncle told as he looked at Leon at the same time, with Leon only nodding in response.
"But today I'll explain you about the second stage" His granduncle said.
"The second stage, allows a Oldenburg to use a power called burst, it allows a Oldenburg to rapidly move very fast for a shorter distance in all directions, in fact people who see you use it would only see a bluer when using the burst" he continued with Leon being surprised by what his granduncle said.
"But, there is one big downside to this power, an Oldenburg can use burst only for a limit amount of time, before he or she drains all of the stamina out of their body, over time the amount of time a Oldenburg can use this power will increase to a degree were stamina drain won't be a problem for the most part" Leon's granduncle said.
"Well, that's something" Leon said looking at his granduncle.
"One more thing Leon, when first using the burst there is a big chance that right after you used it, you may fall unconscious" his granduncle said, making Leon confused.
"Why? I know that it drainer's stamina, but is it that a bit much" Leon said looking and sounding confused.
"Well Leon, when a Oldenburg uses this power for the first time, his body is it ready for it, causing the Oldenburg to fall unconscious after he uses it for the first time, with more usage of the second stage this goes away in time" his uncle said.
End flash back or memory or something like that
"Damn it, why didn't I think about that when using it!" Leon screamed inwardly at himself. It also seemed that the shock that both Krista and the bandit were in was finally going away and with seeing that Leon couldn't do anything the bandit devilishly smiled at Leon.
"Well, well, well, aren't so strong now are we Bart" the bandit said as he came close and put the pistol to Leon's head with the latter only growling at the bandit, knowing he couldn't do anything at the moment.
"It's like I'm going to win after all… your friends aren't here yet, so I even can still get my money after all" the man said cocking the pistol in his head and preparing to shot Leon.
"Like I said you should have let as go… and now you're going to die, you cou…" he was talking before stopping, as Leon looked at him he saw that a sword was close to the man's neck, and then heard a voice that told him who was holding the sword.
"I recommended you to drop the gun now… if you what to live!" Mikasa said looking at the man with nothing but hatred and malice, with Leon being relieved that he wasn't going to die today. But as this was happening he started to feel more tired and after a moment collapsed to the ground completely now laying on it.
"Leon!" was the last thing he heard from both Krista and Mikasa, before everything went dark.
One day later
"He's been out for a day now" Leon heard a person say.
"Well he did fight five people at the same time and survive a crash" said another person. As people were talking Leon started to wake up with all of the noise, this was also noticed by the people who were just talking.
"Oi, guys I think his waking up" somebody said, as Leon opened his eyes, as he also ground form the head pain he was getting. His whole body felt sore probably from the drained of stamina, as he looked around he found out that he was in a bed, in a field hospital in the training ground. Also it seemed some people were surrounding his bed looking at him these being, Mikasa, Eren, Jean, Krista, and Ymir.
"Um, hi guys... where are we?" Leon said not knowing what else to say to the group. The group of cadets looked at him first before looking at each other, then again at him as Jean spoke up looking at him.
"Well look who finally came thought of coming back to us, welcome back Leon, and to answer your question, you're in the camps infirmary" Jean said with a grin on his face.
"Sorry about that I... lost a lot of stamina lets just say" he answered back to the group of cadets, with them just nodding.
"How are you anyway" asked Krista looking at him.
"Well considering all my body is sore and my head is killing me, pretty okay I would say so myself" Leon said with a weak smile before wanting to ask a question to his fellow cadets.
"So... what happened after I... fell unconscious?" Leon asked curious at want happened after he went unconscious.
"Well, when you black out both our groups, restrained most of the bandits and called for the instructors who picked us up and... well that's really all that happened after you blacked out" Eren said looking at Leon.
"I see… that's good to hear" Leon said feeling good at the thought that at the bastards won't be getting away. but still there was one thing that still didn't make sense to him yet so he asked about it.
"This leads me to my over question… how did you find us after all" Leon asked looking at the group and this time it was Mikasa who answered his question.
"Well, Armin shot a flare after you, Eren and Jean attacked the bandits convey, it then didn't' take long for our team to find you" she said looking at Leon with him nodding in agreement.
"I got to say Leon, what you did back there … going against five bandits saving Krista at the same time, is something you don't see that much." Ymir spoke up as she wrapping her head around Krista,before continuing,
"in other words thanks for that..." she said with Leon looking a bit surprised, before looking at Leon seriously before speaking up.
"But she's taken, got that…!" she finally said, with Leon just smiling awkwardly.
"sure thing Ymir" Leon said as he looked at Ymir.
"We should start going, Shadis told us we only have 30 minutes to talk to you" Jean said.
"Yeah, wouldn't want Shadies coming in here and yelling off our ears now do we" Leon said in a jokingly manner, with most of the cadets there nodding in agreement and leaving right afterwards. Leon would lay his head back on to the pillow before thinking over everything that happened yesterday; it was just supposed to be a normal, boring, training exercise that became a rescues mission. Leon was just happy that all of it was finally over, and hoped they'll get more points for the whole endeavor; he and his group went through. As Leon opened his eyes again, it seemed that not everyone has left, as Mikasa was still standing beside his bed looking at him, wanting to no why Mikasa was still here Leon asked.
"Is there something you what to ask Mikasa?" Leon asked looking at the oriental girl. Mikasa give her answer by hitting Leon on the head.
"OW, what was that for!?" Leon asked with a bit of angry in his voice, but as he looked at the oriental girl, her only response was giving him a stern glare at him before speaking up.
"You almost got yourself killed back there Leon!" Mikasa started off first, looking at angry and worried at the same time, with Leon only giving her a small smile, before speaking up.
"It was for sure not the best situation I was in, but I'm still here I'm I not?" he said to Mikasa, who still didn't look consed.
"But, you still could have died back there! if I didn't get there in time you'll probably be dead by now...!" Mikasa tried to continue but was stopped by Leon.
"Mikasa, don't worry, I held my own and made it out alive" Leon said a bit more sternly, with Mikasa wanting to say something but Leon interrupted her.
"Besides, would it have been better if Eren or Jean would have been in may place" Leon said looking at her, with a bit of relief going thought Mikasa face, before speaking up again.
"Fine Leon, I guess, I… just don't what you to get hurt Leon or die... you still have that promise" She said looking at her feat, with Leon looking a bit confused at that, he knew Mikasa always tried to protect Eren or Armin, he didn't think he was part of it.
"I know Mikasa, I know, and I'll try my best not to get myself killed next time something like this happens, okay" Leon said looking at her as her only replied with a nod in agreement.
"Well, you should go too now, if Shadis finds out some cadets aren't, were they need to be he'll probably get pissed" Leon said with Mikasa nodding, before leaving.
'I never thought Mikasa was that worried for me... or even cared that much for me' Was what Leon thought confusedly, he truly didn't think she would care that much for him.
As Leon lad back and looked into the silencing he thought over everything that happened in the past day or so, more so on what he did back in the wagon, three people saw him, one begin Krista and the others being the two bandits. he didn't thinking anyone would believe the two bandits that a cadets, moves faster then any humanly possible, and Krista would go talking about this, he'll need to talk to her about this through, but right now he just wanted to relaxes.
Some time after the forest exercise
As Leon set at a table with a oil lamp, in the mass hall waiting for somebody, being it was the middle of the night the chances for anyone, both cadets and instructors to stumble on to him and that person were much lower then in the morning. As he waited for that person the door to the mess hall started to open up, and when Leon look to see who it was, he saw Krista standing and looking at him, in her civiling cloths.
"Is there something you wanted to talk about Leon?" she asked with Leon only nodding in response as he waved his head for her to come, as she got to the table he was setting at and set at the opposite side of the table. waiting for Leon to begin on what he wanted to talk to her about, if Leon was honest to himself, he originally didn't want to tell her about the powers, not because he didn't trust her... but it was better for less people to know until the royal family is it a problem anymore, but she did keep the secret quiet for this long, so it was only right to repay that help by explaining it to her, it would be the same way he told Mikasa, back in the winter training.
"the reason on why I wanted to talk about is... is about what happened a week ago, in the wagon" Leon started to speak to Krista, as the blond looked at him a bit surprised , before he continued again.
"What you saw back there... was my family's powers, you can say, these powers increase our speed and strength, that is what you saw back then was stage two of my power" He said with the blond looking a bit confused and surprised at the same time now, but Leon only continued.
"I don't now how our family got our powers, that I was never told, so don't ask about that, because you won't get a answer" Leon continued looking at the girl.
"So why ask me to keep it a secret form everyone?" Krista asked looking at Leon, who in response just sighed before continuing again.
"Lets just say there are people... people with a lot of influences and in high positions in the royal govermant that want me and my family dead" Leon put it lightly, in truth the royal family was after them so it was more like the whole govermant then some higher ups.
"Oh...why?" Krista asked, looking at waiting for Leon to speak up.
"the reasons are that my family went against some of these influential people and they didn't like that..." Leon said, with the girl only nodding in response.
"And that's why I need you not to tell anyone about this... for now... until I'm dealt with these influential people!" Leon said now looking at Krista.
"I see, dose anyone else knows about your secret?" Krista asked with Leon thinking over to tell her that Mikasa knows about it or not to, in the end he thought it would hurt to tell her.
"Yes... Mikasa also knows" Leon answered her equation, with Krista nodding at Leon before a long silents fell on to them.
"Okay Leon I'll keep this a secret" Krista finally said.
Histroia Reiss POV
As Krista finally left the mess hall, she could only think about what happened in the past weak or so. First she was kidnapped by bandits, then she saw a person going so fast that she only saw a bluer then that same person told her to keep it a secret form everyone, because he and his family are being hunted by high ranking people in the royal govermant for some reason and that powers could put that person and his close ones in danger. Also that his family has superhuman powers, that allow them to be stronger and faster then normal humans, so to say that the weaken was hard and exhausting one would be an understatement.
She would of course keep it a secret, she didn't won't to get Leon in trouble, after he saved her, and he didn't seem as bad of a guy. Of course she herself wasn't somebody who wasn't running and hiding from the royal govermant, in fact her whole identity is it even hers to beginning with. She could still remember that day like to was yesterday, as her mother was killed right in front of her own eyes, before saying something that made it much worse then it already was...
'If only you weren't born, I wouldn't be in this...!' was hers northers last words to her... nothing but hatred, back then when she was Historia.
"Maybe I should have told him about... no, no, no... it would just put both of us in more danger then we have to be in" Was what Krista said to herself not louder then a whisper. Leon was probably going to tell his true identity after he has done what he has taken care of dose higher ups... but she won't, she'll just keep living the most normal life she could. She just wanted and hoped that after this... she could just have a normal life in the MP's and just forget about the past... she didn't know at that time how wrong she would be.
N/A: Well that's chapter seven finally done, sorry for the long wait, I had some other things I needed to do in the past mouth. plus with how long this chapter is (11,000 words) it would be long editing it and fixing issues in this chapter, it's probably the longest chapter I ever made in my life so I needed the extra time to finish it. Also I did say I wouldn't make a OVA chapter, in the last chapter if you even remember that... but then I remembered I needed to so that things would make more sense in the next chapters, so yeah sorry about that guys. so that all for now, hope you enjoyed this chapter, also hope to hear what you guys think about this one, and should I make longer chapters or short ones. Until next time bye. :)